Conventional telecommunication bantam jack modules are presently available for mounting on standard length horizontal shelves of 19" and 23" of a multi-shelf telecommunication rack. Such telecommunication bantam jack modules, generally designated with the numeral 46, are illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4-5 and 9 for mounting on standard length horizontal 19" shelf 12 or standard length horizontal 23" shelf 14. Such shelves 12, 14 are mounted on a multi-shelf telecommunication rack 16.
The prior art bantam modules 46 are designed to receive the bantam plugs illustrated in FIG. 1. Specifically the modules 46 are intended to receive the bantam plugs of (1) standard single plug bantam batch cord 18, (2) standard dual plug bantam batch cords 24, and (3) standard looping bantam plug assemblies 30.
Specifically a standard single plug bantam batch cord 18 has a single twisted pair or coaxial conductor cable 20 with single bantam plug assemblies 22A and 22B mounted on opposite ends with mini-bantam jack plugs insertable into the bantam jack module.
The standard dual plug bantam patch cord 24 includes a dual twisted pair or coaxial conductor cable 26 with dual bantam plug assemblies 28A and 28B mounted at opposite ends. Each of the plug assemblies 28A and 28B have dual, parallel, mini-bantam jack plugs that are spaced approximately 0.312 inches on center. The standard looping bantam plug assembly 30 has dual, parallel, mini-bantam jack plugs 31A and 31B mounted parallel with each other with a center-to-center spacing of 0.312 for inserting into the bantam jack module.
As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 1A-C, each mini-bantam jack plug has a nonconductive gripping section 34 with an outer conductive barrel or sleeve 36 that forms a system ground for the twisted pair or coaxial cable. A standard mini-bantam plug sleeve has a exterior diameter of approximately 0.175 inches. Each mini-bantam plug includes an outer nonconductive section 38. Further, each plug 32 includes a conductive ring 40 that is electrically connected to one of the conductors of the cables. Additionally each plug includes an inner nonconductive section 42 that insulates the conductive ring 40 from a conductive tip 44. The conductive tip 44 is electrically connected to the conductor of the cables.
With this background, the prior art mini-bantam jack module 46, illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 and 9, will be more specifically described. The module 46 includes a front panel 48 that has a number of vertical columns 50 of aperatures that are spaced in a horizontal direction of approximately 0.312 inches. The front panel 48 of the prior art bantam module 46 illustrated in FIG. 2 is designed to receive four jack assemblies in which the overall width of the front panel 48 is 1.250 inches. The module 46, illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 and 9, includes four bantam jack assemblies 53. Each assembly 53 includes a frame 55 that has an input sleeve 57 formed integrally therewith that extends outward through an aperture in one of the columns 50 of the front panel 48. Additionally each frame has a output sleeve 59 that likewise extends through one of the apertures in the same column 50 of the front panel 48. Additionally each frame 55 includes a monitor sleeve 61 that projects outward through one of the apertures of the front panel 48. Each of the sleeves 57, 59 and 61 has an internal diameter that is complementary for receiving the barrel or sleeve 36 of the bantam plug. Generally the internal diameter is 0.177 inches to form a frictional contact between the internal surfaces of the sleeves 57, 59 and 61 and the outer barrel or sleeve 36 of the mini-bantam plugs. Additionally the conventional sleeves 57, 59 and 61 have a uniform cylindrical outer surface having a diameter of approximately 0.257 inches.
It should be specifically noted that the center-to-center spacing between the input sleeve 57 and the output sleeve 59 of each of the frames 55 is uniform and is approximately 0.312 inches. Consequently, the dual bantam plugs 28 and 33 may be inserted in a vertical orientation between the input sleeve 57 and the output sleeve 59 of the same frame as illustrated in FIG. 5 or the dual bantam plug 28 and the looping bantam plug 30 may be oriented horizontally and inserted into adjacent input sleeves 57 or between adjacent output sleeves 59 of adjacent frames. In other words the plugs may be vertically oriented or horizontally oriented as the vertical orientation between the input sleeve 57 and the output sleeve 59 is the same as the distance between adjacent input sleeves 57 and adjacent output sleeves 59.
The spacing between the input sleeve 57 and the monitor sleeve 61 is somewhat greater with the monitor sleeve generally receiving a single plug of a standard three conductor bantam pathc cord 18. The monitor sleeve 61 is utilized to monitor the digital communication signals being transmitted through the bantam jack assembly without interrupting their transmission.
Each bantam jack assembly 53 further includes an input switch assembly 63, an output switch assembly 65 and a monitor switch assembly 67 that are illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Each of the switch assemblies 63, 65, and 67 include a leaf spring ring contact 69 and a leaf spring tip contact 71 for making electrical contact with the corresponding conductors of the bantam plugs. Such electric contacts are illustrated in FIG. 5 in which a standard looping bantam plug 30 is inserted into the input sleeve 57 and the output sleeve 59.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, the prior art modules 46 may be mounted on a standard length horizontal 19" shelf 12 in which there are fifty-six circuits (jacks) on shelf 12A and eight circuits (jacks) on the lower shelf 12B. Consequently each shelf can only receive a maximum of fifty-six circuits. This means that for a system that is intended to interconnect sixty-four circuits, at least eight circuits must be positioned on the lower shelf 12B.
One of the principal objectives of this invention is to provide a telecommunication mini-bantam jack module that is able to accept standard mini-bantam plugs as illustrated in FIG. 1 while at the same time being able to mount sixty-four circuits on a standard 19" shelf and eighty-four circuits on a standard 23" shelf.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.